The Guelph branch of the Royal Canadian Legion says a member accused of misrepresenting his military service and achievements at a local school and other official legion events will not be representing the legion in the future.
Gerry Conway once told Our Lady of Lourdes high school students about his Vietman War experiences at a Remembrance Day event. His story included having urine thrown on him upon returning to the United States and being called a "baby killer."
"I can guarantee you one thing, he will not be representing the legion in any form or respect again, that you can quote me on. Not in Guelph. Hopefully anywhere," said Roy Fagel, president of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 234.
Fagel preferred not to go into details about what measures the local legion took after looking into allegations of stolen valour against Conway.
"We have looked into it. It's been looked after, that's all I can say."
Fagel said the branch preferred to handle the matter internally.
"It was certainly disturbing for us to hear this," Fagel said. "It certainly wasn't overlooked."
He said the local branch has "gone as far as we're going to go with it at this time."
Pamela Sweeny, executive director of the Royal Canadian Legion Provincial Command, was unaware of the accusations against Conway.
The organization Stolen Valour Canada outed Conway on its website, saying he falsified his military record and wore unearned medals and emblems on his uniform.
Stolen Valour Canada made Conway a member of its Hall of Shame, saying he has "absolutely no military service," and no entitlement to many of the insignias and medals he wore - including a Purple Heart for being wounded - at various public events.
They said it was his “obvious and frankly ridiculous uniform embellishments” that prompted further investigation.
In 2017 Conway, speaking at a Remembrance Day event, told students at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School about being “spit on” and called “baby killer” when he returned from his second tour of Vietnam.
Stolen valour is a term used to describe people who falsely claim or embellish military service and/or wear military badges and awards they didn’t earn. Stolen Valour Canada is a group dedicated to exposing those people.
Their motto is "if you didn't earn it, don't wear it."One of those medals worn by Conway is the purple heart, awarded to U.S. service members wounded in combat.
Conway has not replied to several requests for comment regarding the allegations. His wife previously told an intermediary that the allegations by Stolen Valour Canada were "false" and that her husband is "very, very upset."
Stolen Valour Canada previously posted what it says is an email exchange with Conway where he allegedly admitted to falsifying his service.
“We stand behind our findings on Mr. Conway. He didn’t experience the things he claims and his stories paint a false picture of life as a veteran," Stolen Valour told GuelphToday when the story first broke.
